Thomas HIBBERD

HIBBERD, Thomas E.
Member of the RCAF 1948 Gold Medal Winning Olympic Hockey team dies.
Thomas Edward Hibberd, Ted to all who knew and loved him, passed away peacefully in Ottawa on the morning of May 10, 2017 less than a month after his 91st birthday. Ted was born and raised in Ottawa. He grew up in New Edinburgh the youngest of six children to Clara and Edward Hibberd. In 1947 he was recruited to play hockey for the Royal Canadian Air Force Flyers Olympic team. They were a rag tag group of misfit players scrambled together by team manager Dr. Sandy Watson, and were not expected to do well on the international stage. But the Flyers beat the odds, made history by winning the gold medal in St. Moritz in 1948. Ted always said the Olympic gold medal was the gift that kept on giving. At the 1988 Calgary Olympics, he and the team were honoured on the 40th anniversary of their win. He presented a wreath on behalf of the RCAF Flyers on Remembrance Day and more recently he dropped the puck at an Ottawa Senators game to a standing ovation. Ted spent his entire 40 year career at the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. He retired to his place in the sun (Venice, Florida) in 1984 with his beloved wife of 46 years, Anna and they split their time between Florida and Ottawa for the next 20 years. Ted is lovingly remembered by children Lesley, Wendy, Nancy, Jeff and Laurie, grandchildren Jennifer, Daniel, Kimberly, Jamie and Misha and by great- grandchildren Hanna, Abby, Mia, Cameron, Keira and Knox and by many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, his five siblings and his son Jamie. Friends are invited to join the family in remembering Ted at the Central Chapel of Hulse, Playfair & McGarry, 315 McLeod Street (at O'Connor), Ottawa on Friday, May 19, 2017 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Words of Remembrance will begin at 12:45 p.m.
Condolences/Tributes/Donations
Hulse, Playfair & McGarry
www.hpmcgarry.ca
613-233-1143